A Hero's Journey is an illustrated concept for a character-led fantasy narrative showcasing temporary migrant resilience. It was designed by Grace McTaggart and me in collaboration with Te Papa.
Our concept is a triptych narrative commemorating the significance and resilience of temporary migrants in Aotearoa. Using the fantasy allegory, we created a character-led narrative highlighting temporary migrant experiences. The narrative starts as the hero descends into the dark cavern, symbolising the uncertainty faced by temporary migrants. Guiding sprites are part of the narrative – represent community support. The sprites share their golden light, passing down wisdom and solidarity. Within the cave, the hero battles the Beast of Bureaucracy, representing the precarity and adversaries temporary migrants face in Aotearoa. The Beast is also an amalgamation of animals tied to colonial history. The triptych concludes with the hero resting on a cliffside – a literal cliffhanger – surrounded by a community of sprites, reflecting on their journey. The final panel acknowledges other adventures and challenges awaiting the hero but focuses on the importance of being present in a community. A Hero’s Journey honours past migrants through cave paintings and references to Chinese migrants during the gold rush.
Our concept is a triptych narrative commemorating the significance and resilience of temporary migrants in Aotearoa. Using the fantasy allegory, we created a character-led narrative highlighting temporary migrant experiences. The narrative starts as the hero descends into the dark cavern, symbolising the uncertainty faced by temporary migrants. Guiding sprites are part of the narrative – represent community support. The sprites share their golden light, passing down wisdom and solidarity. Within the cave, the hero battles the Beast of Bureaucracy, representing the precarity and adversaries temporary migrants face in Aotearoa. The Beast is also an amalgamation of animals tied to colonial history. The triptych concludes with the hero resting on a cliffside – a literal cliffhanger – surrounded by a community of sprites, reflecting on their journey. The final panel acknowledges other adventures and challenges awaiting the hero but focuses on the importance of being present in a community. A Hero’s Journey honours past migrants through cave paintings and references to Chinese migrants during the gold rush.
Image 1 (Precedents): Our project is inspired by fantasy-themed games and books, such as Sky: Children of the Light, Horizon, Baldur's Gate 3, and Percy Jackson. We also used Gary Basemann as a visual precedent to help make our design outcome approachable to all ages.
Image 2 (Exploration): We explored the significance of temporary migrants through different concepts. Initially, we visualised temporary migrants with the mitochondria allegory (the cell's powerhouse). Later, we explored their experiences of precarity inspired by The Game of Life. Finally, we settled in with a character-led fantasy narrative showcasing their value and agency.
Image 3 (Final result): After talking to our knowledge holders, we proposed an interactive diorama triptych with themes of hope and autonomy. And so the hero's journey was born.
Image 4 (Final result): The triptych will be presented in a large format to immerse viewers in the world and story of our hero. Interactivity includes an abseiling rope, movable characters, and light and glow-in-the-dark elements.